Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (hereinafter “CFRP”) parts are strong but brittle and may crack when bending or axial loads are applied in a collision. The structural integrity of the part may be compromised if a CFRP part cracks.
Longitudinal structural members such as frame rails and sub-frame arms are normally formed of steel and are designed to bend in response to bending or axial loads applied in collision impact loading. The strength and light weight characteristics of CFRP parts potentially offer weight savings for vehicles compared to steel parts. However, parts that are subject to collision impacts that must be absorbed to meet collision standards are not generally made from CFRP because the material is brittle and tends to crack. The ability of the part to absorb energy is essentially lost when the part cracks.
This disclosure is directed to solving the above problems and other problems as summarized below.